There's No Place Like Home
by Arynnl
Summary: 623 UPDATEHelga's going through some major changes as she's removed into the care of an unlikely foster family. Will Big Bob, Miriam, and Olga get her back? UPDATE CHAPTER 8
1. Enter the Social Worker

----  
  
Melissa Bliss rubbed her temples wearily as she sat down. It was Sunday night and she was found curled up in he swivel chair at her home office, much to her disgust. In place of her suit and heels were a nightshirt, robe and fluffy slippers. She sipped a cup of warm chamomile tea and nibbled at a graham cracker. An open folder lay on the desk; its neat label read 'Helga G. Patacki.' Dr. Bliss took a final contemplative of her herbal drink before placing it to the side and picked up a pen with her left hand.  
  
She looked down at a row of boxes before checking one which read: 'Further Therapy Recommended'. She took a deep breath as her pen tip hovered over another box. She exhaled and checked it as well. This box read 'Removal Into Foster Care Recommended'. She jotted down a quick note in beautiful cursive, 'Said patient has severe mental walls which were in effect caused by emotional neglect from her parents. Temporary or permanent removal from environment highly recommended.' Signing her name, she quickly faxed the paper before she could change her mind. She heaved a big sigh and allowed a small tabby cat to jump into her lap and settle down. Dr. Bliss stroked her pet absentmindedly as she remarked quietly, "Helga is going to hate me."  
  
----  
  
It was a blustery October morning at P.S.118, and Mr. Simmons, having followed them to the fifth grade, was just greeting them.  
  
"Good morning, all my special people. I know that some of you might be antsy bet let's remember that today is still a day of learning, even if it is Friday. Oh and Helga you have to report to the office, you have a visitor."  
  
Helga sat up genuinely confused then faded into nonchalance, saying, "Hmmm....mabe Miriam woke up and brought me an edible lunch for once. Be right back, Pheebs, hold my calls." Helga smiled at her best friend as she left the classroom. Phoebe giggled and watched Helga walk out before reminiscing about the summer.  
  
Fifth grade! The old gang sure had a hectic summer, saving the neighborhood from being turned into a mall, although it really was all Arnold and Gerald's doing. Overall nothing much had changed, Harold still had a passion for Mr. Fudgie bars and Chocolate Num-nums and Rhonda still enjoyed the finer points of life including fashion and popularity, but was surprisingly growing more and more tolerant of Sid's flirting. Eugene was growing out of his clumsiness and the nickname, 'Jinx' was used more in friendliness rather than in derision. Helga too had changed, she was being nicer and was easier to talk too, although Phoebe had always known that.  
  
----  
  
Helga walked slowly to the office; she didn't feel like rushing things. When she got there she looked at the receptionist expectantly, saying, "Uh, you called me down?" Suddenly a tall woman stood up and held her hand out to Helga, "Hello I'm Ms. Tirran but you can call me Julie. You must be Helga, we need to talk."  
  
Helga responded, "Hi bucko, pleased to meet you." Helga wouldn't have answered like that under normal circumstances, but Julie oozed a wishy washy manner that reeked of egotism. She acted as though she was God's gift to earth and felt it her duty to help out these pitiful people surrounding her. Ms. Tirran wore a smart business suit, her hair was short, brown and curly, and looked artificial. They walked in silence to Dr. Bliss's office, each trying to size the other up. Helga noted with pride that she had shocked Ms. Trillan with her frank, down-to-earth manner.  
  
They seated themselves in two comfortable chairs. Julie started talking first, "Well, Helga. As I said before, I'm Julie and I work with Social Services in this area. I-"  
  
Helga glared at her as she interrupted, "Listen, lady, if you're here to see if Big Bob is doing anything illegal, he isn't. And I think its stupid that you would ask me-"  
  
Now it was Ms. Tirran's turn to break in,"No, no you don't understand Helga. I work in Social Services, specifically in the Children's Department. I'm here to tell you that you're going to be moved into a foster home for a while."  
  
Helga was floored by the statement before she lashed out in an icy tone, "What? Who are you to decide that? Who said I needed to be moved into a foster home? Nobody ever heard me complain about negligence. I'll s-"  
  
Again Julie interrupted, "Well, maybe you should've complained, Helga. Maybe it wouldn't have progressed this far."  
  
Helga glared with such intensity that it stunned Julie into silence, "Listen, Ms. Tirran," she spat, "I'm not going into any foster home and don't you try and pin this on me-"  
  
"Listen to you! I wouldn't be here talking to you right now if I didn't have enough evidence that you need to be moved. I've got the proof Helga, and it surprises me that you don't want to leave. Aren't you tired of the wrong name? Tired of living in a shadow? Tired of having to be independant to survive? We're doing this because we care, and because its whats best for you."  
  
"What do you know of what's best for me? Listen lady and listen good, I didn't ask you to care and I don't want your sympathy!" Saying this, Helga banged out of Dr. Bliss's office. She hadn't cried for as long as she could remember, but her eyes teared up now. Sure, she was tired of it, but it didn't mean that she wanted to leave.  
  
As she stormed through the hallways in emotional turmoil, she didn't notice Ms. Tirran walking behind her. She carefully wiped her eyes of any telltale signs of tears, and opened the door to her classroom. Mr. Simmons looked up to see a fairly upset Helga stamping into the room and a young woman mouthing, 'We need to talk' and turned to the class saying, "Class, since you've been so good, fifteen minutes of free time!"  
  
Immediately, pandmonium broke out. Among her noisy classmates, Helga stomped back to her desk unnoticed. Well, not entirely unnoticed. Phoebe had seen Helga's older manner return as pushed Stinky and Sid out of the way to her desk. The petite Asian girl was immediately alert as she watched Helga place her head face down on the desk.  
  
Phoebe picked up her voice and said, "Helga? Are you okay?" When the only response she got was silence, she repeated her question.  
  
"I'm fine, Pheebs. Criminy, there's no need to mother me."  
  
"Okay Helga," Phoebe then added more quietly, "You just looked like you needed to be mothered."  
  
Another person noticed. Arnold had looked up when Helga entered. He saw the different emotions play across her face and shrugged it off. Helga was probably in a bad mood.  
  
In front of his desk Mr. Simmons was listening to Ms. Tirran who spoke in a business like manner.  
  
"Oh my. This, this is awful, I can't believe it. I'm so sorry."  
  
Ms. Tirran brushed away his sympathy with, "Yes, yes we all are. Please tell Helga to meet me outside the school. Thanks."  
  
Her heels clicked smartly as she exited the classroom, leaving Mr. Simmons to gaze at Helga.  
  
---- 


	2. Scandalized Tears & a Mother's Instinct

The minute hand on the clock slowly ticked off the time; 2:59. Seventeen anxious pairs of eyes followed its every move as the sixty seconds till freedom turned into an eternity of waiting. The eighteenth pair, however, was dreading that time with an almost palpable fear. Helga Pataki stared at the clock as though it were her enemy, and for once in her short life, fear was easily read in her clear blue eyes. A somewhat flustered Mr. Simmons vainly tried to get the class to listen to their homoework assignments for the upcoming weekend. Through some pushing and prodding, Phoebe had gotten the jist of the story and was stunned by the short time it had all taken place.   
  
By this time Arnold had noticed that something was wrong with Helga. After she had come back, in her bully mode no less, she has spaced out, ignored any attempts at conversation, and waved off his attempt to make her feel better with a quiet, "Just lay off, okay Arnold?" This statement had surprised Arnold so much that he had tipped his desk over accidentally. He kept sending inquisitive glances towards Helga now and then, and he saw her growing more and more anxious as the seconds ticked away. Maybe she was in a fight with Big Patty again! No that couldn't be it, the news would have been all over school. Finally the bell rang and the students ran off with gleeful shouts, making plans for the weekend. Phoebe whispered something to Helga before leaving, to which Helga only nodded. Arnold however, stayed behind as he watched Helga make for the back entrance to the school.  
  
Arnold, whose natural curiosity and sympathy had been aroused by Helga's unusual behavior, called out her name and caught up to her as she walked towards her house using back roads.   
  
"Helga!"  
  
Said girl turned around stiffly, her eyes narrowing as she said in her normal defensive manner, "What do you-" She cut herself off, and instead replied, "Yeah, Arnold?"  
  
Arnold stared before composing himself, asked. "Are you all right Helga? You were acting so weird today."  
  
Helga rolled her eyes, smirking at nothing in particular; "Hey, don't I have the right to act weird, if I want, Football Head?" but her words lacked the familiar sting.   
  
She saw his disapproving look and replied quietly, "Let's just say that I just found out something today, and it's not a good thing. I have to go home Arnold, see you Monday...Oh wait, I might not!"  
  
Saying this, she ran off in the direction of her house, leaving an confused and worried Arnold behind.  
  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
"Hello Mrs. Hyerdahl, I'm sorry to barge in on you like this. Is Phoebe here?"   
  
Mrs. Hyerdahl replied in her lilting accent, "Why, its Arnold! Don't you worry about it, I'll go get her right now!"  
  
Arnold waited and looked at the living room that he was in, it was a mix of Japanese and Southern decoration, which although sounded odd, actually made an eccentric yet pleasing to the eye style.   
  
Suddenly, Phoebe came in, with a fencing mask on and a foil in her hand, "Ohayo Arnold, how are you?"  
  
"Hey, Phoebe, I'm fine, I was actually a little worried about Helga." Arnold replied, getting straight to the point.  
  
Phoebe bit her lip, she was obviously worried about Helga too. "Well, since you're worried about her, I guess I can tell you. Wait here, while I get out of this and have Mother put on some tea."  
  
"Okay." Arnold sat down on the low couch, his eyes wandering the room. While his eyes were occupied with the exquisite swirls of pearl that represented a dragon on a plum colored kimono, hung on the wall for decoration; his mind was occupied with a memory from five or six years ago.  
  
~~`~~  
  
He had been watching the little girl as he drove by her in his grandpa's car. She had been splashed with mud, and had her lunchbox taken away from her. He could tell she was upset, and he wondered where her grandparents were, or maybe she had a mommy and daddy. Well if he ever met them he would tell them to go away because they were mean. He couldn't even imagine walking to preschool by himself ever, especially not on the first day. Well, when he got there he was going to tell her how nice her bow was, cuz it was nice. It was pink and big and kept her hair up. He couldn't wait till preschool started, maybe they could be friends! His thoughts were distracted when the car came to a stop. They were there!  
  
~~`~~  
  
Phoebe had come back into the room, bearing a tray of steaming tea and some kind of chocolate covered cracker she called pocky. They sat down on opposite ends of low table; Phoebe sipped at her tea before she broke the comfortable but slightly tense silence between them.  
  
"So Arnold, tell me what you think the matter is with Helga."  
  
"Well...she was upset when she came back from the office, and she didn't want to go home. So I guess that maybe Olga's back, or worse, someone had an accident or something."  
  
Phoebe stared into the murky depths of her sweet tea, gnawing at her lip as she searched for the correct answer. Unlike school, she didn't always have the right answer for social situations that required tact. With Helga it was different, she had known Helga for so long, she knew exactly what to say, but Helga had told her to not tell anyone, so she wouldn't. Now she just had to lead Arnold to the truth.  
  
"Well, no no, not that. But it does have to do with her family..."  
  
"What? Did someone die? Did Mrs. Pataki have a baby?"  
  
"No, definately not that, think Arnold, think!"  
  
"Is Olga getting married? Are her parents getting a divorce?"  
  
"YES! Well, no her parents aren't, but Helga..." Phoebe trailed off in what she deemed lead to an obvious answer.  
  
"Is Helga getting a divorce?"  
  
"NO!" Phoebe cried exasperated, "Helga's getting removed into Foster Care!"  
  
Saying this, she clapped her hands over her mouth, before whispering, "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone..."  
  
Arnold was dumbfounded by the information, and dimply stared for a few moments.  
  
"That, thats horrible Phoebe! We gotta do something."  
  
Phoebe shook her head sadly, "No Arnold, this is something we can't do anything about."  
  
And for once, Arnold acknowledged that he was helpless.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Helga rushed through the the familiar streets leading to her house. Pushing over unknown strangers she threaded her way through the people with a constant stream of, "Move it buckoe!" "Outta my way!" and "Criminy!". When she reached her destination, she opened the unlocked door and slammed it hard, in order to wake up her mother.   
  
"MIRIAM!" She shouted out, thinking wildly, 'oh please be home, oh please be home, oh please, oh please'  
"MIRIAM!!!"  
  
She was about to yell for a third time when her mother stumbled from her kitchen, yawning, "Helga? What's the matter? Why are you home from school so early?"   
  
"Miriam, its 3:15! Criminey!" Helga stopped before launching into another tirade, and took her mom's hand dragging her mother back into the kitchen.  
  
Miriam, by this time, was sufficiently aware that something was wrong, and instead of going back to sleep, paid attention to her youngest daughter for once. Maybe it was something in Helga's desperate tone, or the fact that even after they had been seated in the kitchen table, Helga had not let go of her mother's hand.  
  
"Yes, sweetie? What's wrong?"  
  
Helga struggled with an answer, and before she had found one, her overloaded emotions caused her to burst into tears in her mother's arms.  
  
Miriam's maternal instincts were now on hyperdrive as she soothed her daughter for the first time in many many years.   
  
Helga was scandalized and her pride was broken as she cried stormily for several minutes; finally she stopped as abruptly as she started, saying, "Miri- Mom, this lady took me out of class today. Her name was Julie Tirran and she said that I couldn't live with you and Dad anymore, she said that I had to go into a foster home for a while!"  
  
Miriam's eyes widened as she took in the news, thinking 'I'm a bad parent.', this time she would take the initiative, they would not take her baby from her without a fight.  
  
She clasped a distraught Helga to her, knowing that she had done wrong in the past, and it might be too late to fix it, but by God she would try!  
  
-_-_-_  
  
-wow, writing this chapter has left *me* distraught!  
hail to the rebellion  
arynnl 


	3. Big Bob Finds Out

"Big Bob Pataki here! Beepers for every-hey,hey,hey! You call this coffee? I call it dirt, now go get me a real cup of joe or its your job!"  
  
Bob Pataki stood in the middle of his store, alternating between greeting customers, yelling at his employees, and waiting to read the latest invoice for beeper shipment. He stood head and shoulders above most people so it was no wonder his employees were so easily intimidated by him. He gave a final grin that could break glass before heading back to his office. He sat down in the leather chair and closed his eyes for a few moments, before opening them to the constant beep of his answering machine. He had three new messages.  
  
"Yeah hi Bob, this is Pete from Powerful Pete's Pagers, and this is my final offer to buy your-"  
  
Bob sneered as he pressed delete.  
  
"Hello Mr. Pataki, this is Ms. Julie Tirran and I'm from the Children's-"  
  
Bob grumbled, "Stupid solicitors... who needs 'em?"  
  
"Bob? This is Miriam, and I hope you get this message soon because we have a major problem. Helga was called down to the office at school and a social worker told her that she was going to be removed into a foster home and-"  
  
Bob deleted this message also, but for a different reason altogether. He was running towards the exit and trying to pull on his jacket at the same time.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Arnold walked home slowly, ignoring his friend's calls for him to join in their game of baseball. He wasn't in the mood for it. Despite her bullying him, Helga was a good friend, and usually came through for him and everyone else in the end. For example, when they made the float for the parade. Arnold knew he could never have done that without Helga. She was the one who had asked her Dad for money. And also this summer, she had helped save the neighborhood, and although she didn't get any of the credit, Arnold knew she was glad to do it.  
  
He opened the door to the boarding house and stood to one side as the usual mob of animals came rampaging out. He took his jacket off and made his way to the kitchen for some milk and cookies. They always made him feel better. When he got there Ernie and Mr. Hyunh were arguing over the last ones and Arnold wasn't in the mood for a fight so he walked towards his living room. In their he heard his Grandma yelling at Mr. Kokoshka for turning off the power so that she couldn't cook a meal. He made his way to his room and flopped down on his bed, contemplating the mixed feelings he felt at the moment.  
  
Shortly after, a knock came at the door. "Ya in there, short man?"  
  
"Yea, Grandpa." Arnold was not surprised, he figured Grandpa would wonder why Arnold didn't stay out to play with the neighborhood kids or say hello to him when he got home.  
  
"What's the matter? Why aren't you playing with your friends?"  
  
"I didn't feel like it. I just heard some bad news about one of them..."  
  
"What's that? Does it have to do with your little ugly friend with the unibrow?"  
  
"Helga? How did you know?"  
  
"Well, I have my ways. Besides I figured not even Big Bob would be able to escape the dreaful Ms. Tirran for long."  
  
"That's the lady Phoebe told me about, she's taking Helga away from her family. And how did you know about her?"  
  
"Well way back when you were just a little kid, littler than you are now, I mean, we had a boarder named Julie Tirran. Well I saw her the other day, and she was back in town working for social services. Asked me if knew the Patakis and I told her what I knew."  
  
"You told her about the Patakis?? So you helped her to get Helga away from her family! How could you?"  
  
"Now, listen Arnold, I know that you think it was wrong but I think that little girl staying in that house is wrong. Why, I've even heard Big Bob call her the wrong name, do you think she likes living like that? I only did because I think she needed it. Listen short man, you should know by now that not all things in life are fair and this is what of those things."  
  
"But...I don't understand, I could never stand being taken away from you and Grandma and the boarders."  
  
"I know, Arnold, I know. Well, I gotta go help your Grandma rewire the building, that darn fool Kokoshka took out all our electricity so that Pookie wouldn't cook tonight."  
  
Arnold lay on his bed and watched the sky cloud over with the swiftness of an unexpected Autumn storm, more confused than before he had talked with his Grandpa.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Bob had come in on an unusual site for his household. Helga was being held by his wife in a way that reminded him of when she was just a baby. Miriam was on the phone with someone and both looked up when he entered the room.  
  
Miriam spoke first, "B, this is our lawyer Mr. Owen and he is going to help us keep Helga. Here you take the phone for a minute while I talk to Helga."  
  
Bob stared at the phone before he began listening desperately to the man who could help him save his baby girl.   
  
Miriam directed Helga up the stairs to her room and had her repeat everything that happened when she was talking to Ms. Tirran. Helga suddenly remembered one detail that she forgot to say.  
  
"Mom! I was supposed to meet her after school but I left the back way and came here, that means she'll probably be coming here to-"  
  
Helga stopped dead as the doorbell rang, and looked at her mother for support. Miriam's mouth had gone dry once she heard the ominous ring and clasped Helga to her once again, as if to give the support that she had neglected to for so long.   
  
Downstairs Bob had just hung up the phone and was unprepared to open the door when the doorbell rang again and someone announced,  
  
"Open up, Helga, its me Phoebe!"  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
i don't own Hey arnold or any characters.  
i keep forgetting that. 


	4. A Departure

-_-_-_-  
  
Big Bob heaved a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall with his eyes closed for a moment, he almost had had a heart attack! He went to the front door and opened it, letting Phoebe inside.   
"Mr. Pataki, is Helga here?"   
  
Bob nodded and pointed to the stairs, realizing just how much his youngest daughter meant to him. Phoebe ran up the stairs two at a time, though it was almost impossible due to her petite form.  
  
"HELGA!"   
  
Helga met Phoebe outside her room, Phoebe was panting slightly,   
  
"I ran all the way here because I wanted to say goodbye in person. I want you to promise me you'll call me as soon as you can, okay? You're my best friend Helga and I don't want you to forget me."  
  
Helga chuckled, "How could I forget you Pheebs, you're my best friend too bucko!"  
  
Phoebe smiled before remembering the situation.  
  
"Okay Helga, but first things first, I want you to know that while you're...away I'm going to do my best to help your parents get you back. Besides, my mother was a lawyer for a little while. She promised she'd help."  
  
Helga grinned, feeling somehow comforted,   
  
"If you're on the job Pheebs, I don't have to worry. I was just, finishing packing."   
  
Her smile left and an awkward silence fell between them as Phoebe's mind raced to find something to fill the gap with.   
  
Phoebe was just about to reply when the Pataki's doorbell rang.   
  
The entire house was frozen in time as the bell echoed in their house.  
  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
  
Bob's hand shook as he opened the door, the Beeper King did not fear facing electronic giants, wasn't scared of dabbling in risky business but he found himself frightened by the person behind his front door.   
  
"Hello, you must be that lady from-"  
  
"Yes yes, I'm Ms. Tirran and you're probably Robert Pataki. Can't say its a pleasure to meet you when I'm here on such....unpleasant business. Where's Helga? She'll have to come with me now."  
  
Bob's fear was transformed into an intense hatred and his eyes pierced hers for a moment, causing her to waver in her abrupt entry into his house.   
  
Julie averted her gaze and made a comment about the baseball season but was met with stony silence.  
  
Suddenly three pairs of footsteps could be heard descending the stairs. Helga appeared holding a suitcase in one hand and her Phoebe's hand in the other. Miriam stared coldly at the woman standing in her foyer.   
  
"Ms. Tirran, I want you to know that I, that we intend on getting Helga back. And if you think that you can just-"  
  
"Wonderful sentiment, Mrs Pataki is it? But right now Helga's going away."  
  
Her eyes fell on Phoebe, and she stated, "I didn't know you had two daughters."   
  
She knelt down to be on eye level with Phoebe, "Its okay sweetie, we'll get you out of here too!"  
  
Standing up again, Ms. Tirran commented drily, "I don't know how any adoption agency would ever,"  
  
"Excuse me," Phoebe said, "I'm not the Patakis daughter, I'm Helga's best friend and I think you're a horrible person!"  
  
Julie raised a delicately plucked eyebrow before taking Helga's hand and making for the door.  
  
Helga wrenched her hand from Julie's and let herself be hugged fiercely by her parents and in turn her best friend, numb to their promises and kind words for the moment.  
  
The tiny black Saab drove off down the street leaving the shocked Bob, Miriam, and Phoebe on the Patakis front step.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
short I know, but at least I updated! 


	5. A Peek Into Julie

there's a preview of more to come at the bottom so be sure to read!  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
The ride to Ms. Tirran's office was a quiet and uncomfortable one. Helga sat with her arms folded and her lips drawn in a tight line. Julie turned the radio on to a station to cover the awkward silence and said,   
  
"I love this song!"   
  
Unfortunately for our main girl, Julie was the kind of person who sang along to these types of songs, and she sang off key.   
  
"Rat ta ta ta ta rat ta ta ta ta ta"  
  
Helga looked up and to be contrary she said,   
  
"Don't you think that this song isn't appropriate for a kid like me?"  
  
Julie blushed and turned the radio off, trying to seem professional but failing entirely.  
  
Helga and Julie rode the rest of the way in undisturbed silence, Julie sometimes looking at Helga edgily. She was angry at herself, none of the other children she had removed had affected her this way. It had seemed that today nothing she had said or done had gone right. Now she was feelig threatened by a nine year old girl! She must've gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.   
  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
  
The Saab came to a stop in front of an office building and the two walked to the front doors. Helga took in her surroundings. It was a rather seedy office for a government run place. Julie directed Helga up the elevator and to a small cubicle that was decorated tackily. Cheesy bright yellow mardi gras beads were strung around the top and stickers and stenciled animals covered all of the visibler folders. Her computer was a mess of beanie babies and Helga personally thought that it was a Lisa Frank nightmare.  
  
"Wow, and I thought you were bad, this is like a Lisa Frank nightmare."  
  
Julie frowned and said perkily,  
  
"Well I've always been a girly girl at heart!"  
  
Helga replied,   
  
"So you chose to make a living of ripping children away from their parents? Yeah, a real girly girl!"  
  
Julie froze before changing the subject,  
  
"Well I have some bad news and some good news, the bad news is that your foster family had a problem with their electricity and aren't able to pick you up tonight, but the good news is that you're going to spend the night with me!"  
  
Helga had bravely fought her tears off during the whole ride there and during her goodbyes but now she had realized that there was no going back and that she really was going to be put into foster care.  
  
After Julie's statement she burst into tears and cried miserably. Julie immediately tried to make it better by rubbing Helga's back, btu Helga ripped herself from her hands.  
  
"Don't touch me!"   
  
Julie was at her wits ends at what to do, but Helga asked,   
  
"Where's the bathroom?"  
  
Julie pointed down the hallway and Helga made her way there. Julie understood plenty of things about kids. She had taken tons of child develoment courses and even had studied a course designed about abused children during college. She understood the basic needs of all children and what they can or can't have, but she did not understand Helga G. Pataki.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Short chappy, I know, but I'm in the middle of class and snuck away to a computer!  
If I get caught I'll say I did it for the fans! ;-)  
  
Who I'm about to thank:  
  
King Cheetah: I really love all the nice reviews! Thanks so much, I'll only update if you promise to update your fics! ;-) p.s. I love Cloudburst! you really got the characters down!  
  
apie: thank you for your reviews too! you're too nice! in bed? it has more appeal than i thought! ;-)  
  
~*Crystal Lily*~: thank you too for the reviews, i really appreciate them!  
  
  
PREVIEW of Next Chapter: Bob walked up the staircase and paused beside Helga's room. The house was so quiet without her. He opened the door and realized that he knew too little about his youngest daughter. Looking toward her bed, he noticed his wife Miriam was curled up on the pink sheets, one of Helga's teddy bears in her arms. He smiled sadly, and pulled one of the blankets over her. He sat down softly on the side of the bed and looked around. The room was just a shell now, hollow and empty. The cheerful pink seemed mournful now, and Bob put his head in his hands. He opened his eyes slowly and noticed the corner of a cardboard box. Slightly curious he pulled it out and saw a notebook, a journal to be precise. It was obviously one of many because it was labeled, 'Journal 7' in curly script. Bob looked around as though he was doing something wrong. He held it in his hands and decided that if he wanted his daughter back, he needed to know more about her, and this was the only way he knew.  
  
- 


	6. An Arrival

-_-_-_-  
  
  
Bob walked up the staircase and paused beside Helga's room. The house was so quiet without her. He opened the door and realized that he knew too little about his youngest daughter. Looking toward her bed, he noticed his wife Miriam was   
curled up on the pink sheets, one of Helga's teddy bears in her arms. He smiled sadly, and pulled one of the blankets   
over her. He sat down softly on the side of the bed and looked around.   
  
The room was just a shell now, hollow and empty. The cheerful pink seemed mournful now, and Bob put his head in his hands. He opened his eyes slowly and noticed the corner of a cardboard box. Slightly curious he pulled it out and saw a notebook, a journal to be precise. It was obviously one of many because it was labeled, 'Journal 7' in curly script.   
  
Bob looked around as though he was doing something wrong. He held it in his hands and decided that if he wanted his daughter back, he needed to know more about her, and this was the only way he knew.  
  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Phoebe had left the Patakis heartsick, she ached for Helga. Helga was not usually able to deal with new and different emotions and she was not going to handle being removed very well. But then again, Phoebe thought, who could handle it well?  
  
No one took notice of the mournful little asian girl who slowly made her way through the sidewalks.  
  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Needless to say, Helga and Julie's "girls night" was a fiasco. An emotionally torn Helga had refused all of Julie's attempts of distraction. Julie had tried everything from Children's Pictionary to UNO but Helga did not take the bait. She didn't know what to think, what to feel and she did not think that playing Chutes and Ladders would help.   
  
Eventually Julie gave up and gave Helga some books to read, and the remote control,  
  
"Well I'm beat, and going straight to bed but you can stay up until ten or so but no later." The clock read 7:30 Helga noted wrily as she listened. "I set up the pull out bed over there, Helga. If you want something from the kitchen help yourself and I'll be in my room if you need anything. I'm glad we got to spend some time together. Now you'll understand that I'm not the big, bad wolf! Go to bed early though, we want you nice and fresh for your foster parents!"  
  
Julie laughed and made her way to the bedroom. After several minutes Helga heard the sound of a television. Following it she peeked in through the horizontal slats in the white wooden door and saw Julie relaxing on her bed with a pillow watching episodes of As the World Spins and All Her Children.  
  
"Oh Wanda, I'm deeply grieved but I, I-"  
  
"Yes, what is it, Damien, what is it?"  
  
"I...I can't marry you."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Its not you its just, you you're a Libra and I'm a Saggitarius. We, well we wouldn't match. But-"  
  
"But what?"  
  
"I've fallen in love with a Taurus.."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Your sister, Wendy."  
  
She rolled her eyes as she made her way back to the main living room and turned on the tv. After flipping through the channels briefly she picked one and went to raid the pantry. Unfortunately for Helga Julie was a tofu freak and they had had tofu dogs for dinner. Helga had eaten a bite but found it gross so she didn't eat saying she was too upset.  
  
Helga flipped through cabinets and the refridgerator and grimaced at what she saw. In place of Giff, Skippee or Peter Pann there was All Natural No Salt Low Fat Peanut Butter. Instead of Layes or Uts Potato Chips there were plantain chips. No candy and no snack food and the thought of eating Fig Newtons for dinner sickened her.  
  
There was only one way out of this situation. Lou's Falafel Hut and Deli. That would solve her culinary problems for the moment. She didn't like falafel but she did enjoy a good pastrami on rye now and then.  
  
She waited until she was sure that Julie was engrossed in her videos before using the fire escape as a rear door. She crawled out of the window and put a three stacked pennies on the sill. The crack was big enough to ensure that she would be able to get back in, but small enough to not be noticed. From the way Damien and Wanda were going at it, it wouldn't be necessary.  
  
"Wanda, Wanda please! Don't be like this!"  
  
"Be like what Damien? I'm perfectly fine, I never loved you anyways! In fact I've been cheating on you!"  
  
"WHAT? With who? I always that our baby looked a little like the MAILMAN!"  
  
"Oh don't insult me. I'd never do anything like that with a low class postal worker, it was..."  
  
"WELL?"  
  
"YOUR STEPFATHER!"  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
The rain storm had ended fairly soon and Gerald had come over Arnold's as usual. Instead of being greeted by his happy best friend he was greeted by Arnold's melancholy, "Hey Gerald."  
  
"Hey man, whats eating you?"  
  
Arnold turned looked up from his bed where he had been lying on his back, tossing an old baseball up and down. He studied Gerald for a moment then proceeded to tell him all about Helga, but not before binding him to secrecy.  
  
Gerald rolled his eyes, "Ah don't worry about her. I mean all she ever does is bully you and make fun of you and yell at you. What goes around comes around I always say. She was dumb and now she's paying for it."  
  
Arnold sat up, "Hey don't say that Gerald, even you have to admit that came through in the times that we really needed her to. I mean we couldn't have help save the neighborhood without her, or build that float and remember I did have fun with her at Rhonda's Halloween party."  
  
Gerald nodded reluctantly, "Yeah, I guess she's okay, and it does stink that she's getting moved out but I can't feel too much pity for her, no offense man."  
  
"None taken."  
  
"Well, hey we can talk about this down at the Falafel Hut, man am I hungry for a falafel. You up for it?"  
  
Arnold said, "Sure, Gerald, sure."  
  
They did their secret handshake and Gerald ran down the staircase saying, "Okay lets go Arnold! Last one downstairs buys!"  
  
Arnold grinned and ran after him.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
  
There a nice long chapter for you all! It was so funny I was writing the Arnold and Gerald scene before and I wrote the funniest outtake for it but you'll have to wait till I finish to read it!  
^_*  
hail to the revolution  
Arynnl 


	7. A Confrontation

-_-_-_-  
  
The small girl walked through the city she had grown up in with a slightly hardened gaze that did not match her yet childish features. Her hands were in the pockets of her jackets and she observed everything around her intently. Her path was familiar to her, and she certainly knew where she was. Several people asked her if she was lost or looking for her mother, but she just continued walking. She eventually reached her destination: Lou's Falafel Hut. She espied her quarry and went in for the kill,   
  
"Hi Helga, I made an educated guess that you'd be here."  
  
A blonde girl looked up at the newcomer from her pastrami on rye,   
  
"Hey Pheebs."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Arnold and Gerald were walking to the Falafel Hut when they were joined by Stinky, Sid, Rhonda, Harold,Sheena, Eugene, Curly, Nadine and Iggy who had been lounging around the street.  
  
"Hey Arnold, you missed a wonderful autumn downpour this afternoon. Why did you stay in?"  
  
"Hey Eugene.Well, I figured that the rain would cancel it anyways and I wasn't feeling too good so I stayed in. It was coming down pretty hard."  
  
Harold commented, "Yeah, we didn't even get one inning in, before it started up!"  
  
"Arnold, do you know where Phoebe and Helga were today? They usually never miss a scheduled game!"  
  
Arnold grimaced as he wondered where Helga was right now. "No, I didn't know they weren't there Sheena."  
  
Sid asked, "Hey, where are you guys going?"  
  
"Lou's Falafel Hut, wanna come?"  
  
"Why sure, Gerald. It'd be our pleasure."  
  
The gang headed towards the Hut.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Phoebe sat with Helga on the corner, eating her falafel. She wasn't particularly hungry but she felt that she needed to honor this tradition. She and Helga always came down to the Hut, Helga ordering pastrami, and Phoebe a falafel. They now sat solemnly munching their dinner. There was no need to talk, they had said all they needed to say before Helga had left with Julie. Phoebe's face creased with anger when she thought of that woman and her petite frame shook as she took out her wrath on her falafel, tearing a piece out savagely with her teeth. Helga looked over, gulped her present mouthful and cocked her head to the side as she said,   
  
"What's the matter with you, Phoebe?"  
  
Phoebe swallowed as well, "Ohhh! It's nothing. I'm just....never mind."  
  
Helga turned to face her best friend, "You know you can talk to me, don't you?"  
  
"Of course I know that, its just, oh Helga...I'm so angry with her."  
  
There was no need to specify who the woman she referred to was. 'She' was the boogie man incarnate. She deserved all the terrible luck in the world to plague her for eternity, for what she had done to the Patakis. This was the girl's unspoken mentality about this Ms. Tirran.  
  
"Don't talk to me about her, she's insane!"  
  
"What do you mean, Helga?"  
  
"Her apartment looks like some third grader's dream house. Everything's bright and cheerful and annoying. I don't think I've ever seen so much cheesy neon green and orange furniture in one place. It gave me a headache! She only buys health food and she's addicted to the soaps. Plus I noticed there aren't any pictures of her family. There are only pictures of her and some friends. She's definately crazy. I never knew they even made tofu corn dogs, tofu spaghetti meat sauce and tofu roast beef!"  
  
"Maybe she had a troubled past. Maybe she cannot come to terms to some traumatic event in her childhood and she thinks herself a super hero for children that she considers to be in her situation."  
  
"Whatever, I can't stand it there. Phoebe she wanted to play Chutes and Ladders with me. CHUTES AND LADDERS! Get this, we went to her office and she told me that she's a 'girly girl' in way of explaining all the Lisa Frank crap she's got. So I asked her if she thought that ripping kids out of their homes is a real girly girl occupation, she didn't answer me."  
  
Phoebe nodded, "Then something obviously happened to her thats making her behave like this, she's obviously in denial about something but doesn't want whatever happened to her, happen to anyone else. A noble sentiment but unhealthy for someone who won't acknowledge her own problems."  
  
Helga looked up from Phoebe and the girls sat in a comfortable silence. Helga took the last bite of her pastrami and spotted someone that she didn't want to see.  
  
"Phoebe, is that Arnold?"  
  
"I, I believe it is Helga."  
  
"Damn."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Arnold and the gang were walking up to the corner when Rhonda said,   
  
"Hey look, there's Phoebe and Helga. Let's go ask them where they were!"  
  
Arnold froze suddenly, he didn't want to talk to Helga. It wasn't that he was mad at her, he just didn't know what he would say. He was Arnold, someone who had an answer to every question, a solution to every problem, advice for every situation. Now he found he didn't know how to tell Helga it was going to be all right, when he didn't know if it was going to be all right. He was an empathetic person, and now he wanted to reassure Helga, to be able to say that everything would work out. He wanted to do something for her, and now he fully realized that he couldn't help her. What's worse was that he felt in some way that he was glad she was away from her parents. Glad that she wasn't in that negative environment; he'd heard the times Big Bob had called 'Olga' instead of 'Helga' and he was happy that she wasn't being ignored anymore. But he knew that didn't mean she was happy.  
  
"Hey Arnold, you coming?"  
  
"Yeah Gerald, wait up."  
  
Harold reached the Hut before anyone else, he ordered his falafel then turned and addressed Helga, "Heyyy, Madam Fortress Mommy, why didn't you come and play with us today, huh?"  
  
Helga turned and faced him, focusing her lusterless blue eyes on him, and said quietly "I was busy pink boy." She got up, offering Phoebe a hand.   
  
She ignored all of their questions and walked off with Phoebe beside her.   
  
The two girls passed the two boys. Arnold stopped in front of her, putting a hand on Helga's shoulder,  
  
"Hey, Helga. I-"  
  
She turned and looked at him, before brushing his hand off and continuing on her way.  
  
Phoebe looked at him meaningfully and walked on as well.  
  
"I told you Arnold, there's no point in feeling bad for Helga G. Pataki. She probably doesn't care that she got taken away. She's probably happy!"  
  
Arnold replied, "How can you say that Gerald? Remember when you moved out of your house? At least you had a choice when you moved out and when you came back. You still felt homesick for your family. Helga might not ever go back."  
  
Arnold quickened his pace, causing Gerald to run to catch up.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry man. Its just. I don't know, she's Helga Pataki. That means something to me, but I guess it doesn't mean that to you."  
  
Arnold shook his head and they got in line to order.  
  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Helga crawled in through the window and shut it quietly behind her. Making her way to the television she turned it off and tucked herself in. Lying on her side, she studied the wall for an hour before she finally drifted off to sleep. The clock read 9:30.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Bob sifted through the pages of the Journal, in awe of his daughter's writing ability. He slowly read through one poem that spoke of someone's heartache.  
  
'Another night and one more dream  
about my sweetheart from above  
Hopefully someday he'll deem  
me worthy of his love.'  
  
His wife stirred in Helga's bed, "B, what are you reading?"  
  
Bob looked sheepish, "Miriam, I want you to take a look at this."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
While Helga was walking back, there was much speculation as to why she had been so out of sorts that day. Stinky and Sid led the conversation, not noticing that the two boys who knew what was going on made no effort in joining in the discussion.  
  
"Maybe she's been abducted by aliens, and that was just an alien in disguise."  
  
Sid rolled his eyes, "Stinky, there's no such thing as aliens."  
  
Stinky grinned and drawled, "Well, I don't know about that. My cousin Smelly Pete got abducted once. Besides weren't you the one convinced that I was a vampire just last year?"  
  
The group laughed when they were interrupted by wheezing.  
  
Harold asked, "Brainy? What are you doing here?"  
  
"wheeze wheeze I don't know."  
  
Rhonda rolled her eyes and continued with her answer, "Maybe Olga's back in town! Maybe she could come to school and teach again, that was week so much fun!"  
  
"You're wrong."  
  
Everyone turned to face Brainy, not noticing he never wheezed when he talked about Helga.   
  
"She's been like this since this morning when she was called down the office but you didn't notice. She was taken from her home. She's going into foster care."  
  
They were all frozen in shock. Arnold stood up, addressing Brainy angrily,  
  
"Why did you tell them Brainy?"  
  
"wheeze wheeze I don't know."  
  
"I don't know isn't going to cut it this time, if Helga had wanted them to know she would have told them."  
  
Brainy turned to Arnold, "Then why do you know?"  
  
Sid, now sufficiently recovered, "Yeah, why do you know, Arnold?"  
  
Arnold shrugged, "I asked Phoebe, I asked her because I was worried about Helga."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Thank You Time:  
  
Helga 243: thanks for the review, the outtakes are going to be one of the best parts of this story! *hint-LotR* if you don't understand that, you'll have to figure it out, it has to do with one of the outtakes!  
  
Tyme and Destinie: WE'LL SEE IF SHE STAYS WITH ARNOLD WE'LL SEE IF SHE STAYS WITH ARNOLD WE'LL SEE IF SHE STAYS WITH ARNOLD ;-) 


	8. Enter the Lloyds

-_-_-_-  
  
Julie Tirran slowly came awake to the soothing sounds of her alarm clock, simulating the ocean. She stretched luxuriously and smiled before opening her eyes. Ready to face the world she pulled the covers off her bed, much to the dismay of the Siamese cat which had been resting on them moments earlier. He meowed in indignation before slinking out of the room, in hopes to get the leftovers of Julie's morning munchies. Once Julie's feet were resting on the floor she stood up sleepily and put on her robe, wondering where the smell of bacon was coming from. Wait a minute, bacon? In her apartment? Suddenly she came awake in an instant and rushed out, remembering the gargantuan problem that Helga G. Pataki posed.   
  
She raced to the kitchen and found Helga at the stove, with a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. She turned around and eyed Julie with a raised eyebrow,   
  
"I figured you'd be up eventually. Don't worry, the bacon isn't for you, I just can't stand any more of this crappy rabbit food."  
  
Julie was slightly disturbed that there was bacon in her apartment at all and sniffed,  
  
"I don't keep any meat in here, where did you find the bacon?"  
  
Helga replied, "I went to Mr. Green's and bought some. Maybe you don't what Mr. Green's is, its a store full of meat. I mean, literally packed with meat. All kinds of meat, bacon, pork, lamb, sausage..."  
  
Julie felt her stomach flip, and saw Helga looking at her with a smirk on her face.  
  
She changed the subject, "You went out by yourself for bacon? Aren't you a little young for that?"  
  
Helga rolled her eyes, "Please, I've been buying food for myself for years. Somebody has to...."  
  
She trailed off realizing what she has just said, what she had just done to Bob and Miriam. She had betrayed them, she had just told Enemy Number One something she shouldn't have and immediately turned back to her bacon before she could condemn her parents any further.   
  
Julie's eyes lit up as she registered Helga's statement, and she was visibly excited as she came over and placed a manicured hand on the girl's shoulder.  
  
"See, Helga. You told me about your home life just now. You can see how they were neglecting you, can't you? Don't you want to tell me more? It'll make you feel better."  
  
Helga's hackles rose and she pushed Julie's hand off of her, saying, "Don't touch me you, you homewrecker." She pushed the bacon onto a plate, along with some eggs she had cooked and walked to the table, followed by Julie, who had poured herself a bowl of Cheerios and a glass of grapefruit juice.   
  
Julie sat watching Helga eat and spooned herself some Cheerios. An impromptu staring match began as Helga tore into a piece of bacon and crunched it noisely. Julie, not knowing exactly what to do, maintained eye contact as she swallowed some grapefruit juice. Helga responded by taking a massive portion of her eggs and shoveling them into her mouth. Julie slurped up a heaping spoonful of her soggy cereal. Their plates were empty in record time, and afterwards Julie mentally admonished herself for acting so juvenile.   
  
She tore her eyes away from Helga's accusing ones, and stood up.   
  
"Helga, you should go get dressed, we're going to meet your foster family. We're meeting them at the office. I'm going to take a five minute shower and while I'm getting ready you can pack your bag and get dressed."  
  
Helga scoffed, "I am dressed, doi!"  
  
Julie eyed Helga's ratty pair of blue jeans and faded soccer shirt.   
  
"Don't you have anything nicer to wear for the first time you meet the family who is going to take care of you?"  
  
Helga crossed her arms impatiently,   
  
"This is what I'm wearing, like it or not."  
  
Throwing her hands into the air in exasperation, Julie ran into her room to put on some clothes and talked to her charge while changing.  
  
"Helga I'm running to a clothes store to pick up a dress for you. You need to look presentable for this family. Take your hair out of those pigtails, pack your bag and don't scowl like that when you meet your 'family'."  
  
Julie slammed the apartment door and took the steps two at a time.  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Miriam's hand was hovering slightly above the phone and she bit her lip. Finally she picked up the receiver and dialed a familiar number.  
  
"Good morning, Mummy!"  
  
"Hello, Olga. How did you know it was me?"  
  
"Well, I just got caller identification installed. It tells me who is calling, its simply wonderful."  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
Olga paused momentarily; her mother would usually say 'thats nice' or 'really?', at least making an attempt at conversation.  
  
"Mummy? Is something wrong?"  
  
"Well, I have some bad news."  
  
"What is it? What happened, did Daddy have another heart attack? Is everyone all right?"  
  
"Olga, Child Protective Services took Helga away. They're placing her into foster care."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
"But Daddy, I don't want another brother or sister! You'll love them more than you love me!"  
  
"Dearest, we could never love anyone more than you! Isn't that right Brooke?"  
  
"Yes, yes, sweetie thats right. But Rhonda darling, everyone in Aspen has an adopted child or at least a foster child. Charity's the thing this year, so we're going to have a foster child for a few months, its nothing permanent. Don't worry about it, okay hun?"  
  
Rhonda Lloyd considered herself too old and mature for a temper tantrum, but at the moment she was just about ready to do anything to get her parents to recondsider.  
  
"Mother, foster children are dangerous! And who knows what kind of house he's from. I don't want a little brother or sister hanging around, using my things. It isn't fair. You have to be kidding. Daddy, Mother's kidding, isn't she?"  
  
Buckley sighed, wondering how to get his only daugher to understand the demands of society. Brooke intervened first.  
  
"Sweetie, say Nadine came to school wearing a very stylish jacket, and it made your trendy outfit look a little plain. What would you do?"  
  
"Why I'd go out to a department store, find a new and better outfit and show Nadine what's what."  
  
Brooke smiled,  
  
"Exaaactly. So you see, if our friends in Aspen are adopting a child, we should as well. Its our...."  
  
"Civic duty." Buckley finished.  
  
Rhonda pouted the rest of the way.  
  
"We're there sweetie."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Helga was forced into a maroon corduroy jumper and a beige turtle neck. Her hair had been brushed out of its two pigtails and into a half up ponytail. The rest of her blonde hair lay curling a inch below her shoulders.  
  
She glared at the mirror. To make up for the outfit she quickly took her hair out of the ponytail and shook it out, making her look quite wild despite her formal clothes. Julie walked out of the bathroom wearing a large robe wrapped around her body and a towel around her hair. She stopped when she saw her once neat handiwork hang in knotty clumps around Helga's face.  
  
She allowed herself an exasperated huff and silently swore she would conquer this proud little girl.   
  
"Helga, what happened to your hair? It looked so nice and neat before I got into the shower."  
  
Helga smiled sweetly,  
  
"I don't know, it must've been the wind!"  
  
Julie's eyes narrowed as she remembered that she always kept her windows closed because of her allergies, before she smiled again.  
  
"Well Helga, we'll have to fix that. I know! We can put your hair into a hairstyle thats windproof! Come here."  
  
Helga grudgingly obeyed, and collapsed into the seat Julie indicated in a most unladylike fashion.  
  
Five minutes later, Helga emerged with two tightly plaited French braids and once again beat a path to the mirror, only to gasp in horror at the stranger who peered back at her.  
  
"What did you do to me, lady?!?"  
  
Julie allowed herself a grin.   
  
"Well, I noticed how much you like pigtails so I put your hair in something a little neater and more feminine. Helga, come here to the bathroom for a moment."  
  
Helga once more complied but not before cursing under her breath.  
  
"Helga, I'm not sure how to say this but I think you'd look a lot less intimidating to your host family if you let me uummmm well, pluck your eyebrows."  
  
"Non, nope, nein and no. There's no way in hell that I'm letting you touch my eyebrows. I'm only ten years old, criminy! No one cares if I don't have clearly defined eyebrows, least of all me!"  
  
Julie shut the bathroom door behind her.  
  
"Well I do. You look sloppy. Don't you want to look pretty like all the other little girls?"  
  
"I don't care about the other little girls, okay? My eyebrow is...my eyebrow and you can't touch it. Its harassment!"  
  
"As of yesterday evening, when your host family called and said that they wouldn't be able to take you, you were under my custody. And I say that I'd like you to have two, FEMININE eyebrows. Is that clear?"  
  
"Listen, "Ms. Tirran" if you want to have ANY eyebrows at all when you wake up tomorrow morning, you'd better not touch me with those tweezers."  
  
"Helga, you are in no position to make threats. So just stay still and be quiet and it'll all be over faster than you think."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
The Lloyds pulled up to the office building and surveyed it with distaste.  
  
"Buckley, don't you think they could do something to make it look a little nicer? Isn't that what Public Works is for?"  
  
"I assume so, dear. But they obviously don't use that program as much. With all that money they could at least afford to slap a coat of paint on it or something. Honestly."  
  
Brooke Lloyd nodded in agreement and held the door for her daughter, who stalked by coolly, without a glance.  
  
Rhonda had alternated between screaming and pouting during the car ride and had made herself hoarse with all the effort.   
  
Checking in at the front desk, the Lloyds took the service elevator the floor.  
  
They saw a brunette woman dressed in a lilac business suit standing next to a young blond girl in a jumper. They were in the middle of a heated discussion which was apparently being won by the little girl.   
  
Buckley cleared his throat and the woman noticed them enter.   
  
"You must be the Lloyds, welcome and this is-"  
  
"The Lloyds??"  
  
The small girl turned around and stared.  
  
Rhonda locked eyes with her, and noticed that she looked vaguely familiar.   
  
"Helga!?!"  
  
"Rhonda?!"  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
Finally!  
  
Tomorrow's my last final and then  
  
SUMMER VACATION WHERE I CAN UPDATE THIS REGULARLY.  
  
I offer my deepest apologies to those I kept waiting on this.  
  
I'm truly very sorry.   
  
My only excuse is SATs and Finals..  
  
BUT NOW I'M   
  
FREE AT LAST  
  
FREE AT LAST  
  
THANK THE LORD I AM FREE AT LAST.  
  
-Arynnl 


End file.
